Trolley-fork.



Patented luly l, |902.

E. L. GENTIS.

TROLLEY FORK.

[Application filed Feb. 2l, 1902.

(N'o Nudel.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. l

ERNEST L. GENTIS, OF NEWPORT NEWS, VIRGINIA.

TROLLEY-FORK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 703,782, dated July 1,1902.

Application tiled February Z1, 1902. Serial No. 95,093. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.'

Beit known that I, ERNEST L. GENTIs, a citizen of the United States,residing at Newport News, county of Warwick, and State of Virginia, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Trolley-Forks, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to anew and useful improvement in trolley-forks,and has for its object to provide ay trolley-fork by which thetrolley-wheelwill be Vallowed a lcertain amount of movement separatefrom its rotary motion and at the same time not altering its contactwith the electrical conductors, so as not to cause any undue loss inthetransmission of the electric current.

With these ends in view this invention consists in the details ofconstruction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and thenspecifically designated bythe claims.

In order that those skilled in theart to which this invention appertainsmay understand how to make and use the same," the c onstruction andoperation `will now be described in detail, referring to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this'specication, in which-Figure l is a side elevation of the trolleyfork, the protecting-cap uponthat side being 'removed to better illustrate the invention;

Eig. 2, alongitudinal section of the fork; Fig. 3, a section on the line3 3 of Fig. 1. A

A represents the two members of the prongs 0f the trolley-fork, whicharejoined together and secured in any suitable manner to: thetrolley-pole B. The outer ends of each ofthe forks or members arecircular in form and have formed through the same circular-'openings,the edges of which openings are'journaled, as illustrated at C.

D represents guide-plates,the sides of which are parallel with oneanother; but the ends are roundedl to correspond with the opening formedthrough the ends of the forks. These rounded ends of the plates D areshouldered,

so as to lie within the channel C, formed in the periphery of thecircular opening through the fork. The channels C do not extend entirelyaround the openings, but terminate so as to leave two portions E solidor flush with the outside of the fork, and these solid portions willcome opposite one another.

Out-

side of the plates D are secured the caps F, one upon each side, andthese caps are secured to the fork by means of screws G, which passthrough' holes formed in the caps and are threaded into the fork throughthe solid portions E, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The rims of these capswill be broad enough to overlap the ends of the plates D, such endsbeing iiush with the exterior of the` forked members by reason of lyingwithin the channel C, formed in such members. Thus the caps will preventthe members from falling outward, but will allow them to turn within thechannel O to a limited extent, they being prevented from turningentirely around by reason of the solid portions E.

H is a slot or guideway formed through each of the guide-plates D, and Irepresents bearing-blocks, square in cross-section, which are the :partsare in position relative to one an other.

The guide-plates D are curved or bulge outward, as shown in Fig. 2, so'that the interior of the face of the plates will be concaved. The radiusof the curvature of these plates is struck from the center of the axleK. Thus it will be seen that the trolley-wheel J may be twisted orthrown out of a straight linea certain distance, because of the factthat the bearing-blocks I will slide Within the slots II in the platesD. This independent movement of the trolley-wheel is for the pur pose ofallowing said wheel to accommodate itself to the irregularities of thewire, and will also allow the trolley-wheel to shift its position inpassing around curves. Therefore much of the undue wear totrolley-wheels will be done away with, as this movement of thetrolley-wheel will also prevent the wheel from climbing on the hangers.

It is a well-known fact that much of the than that set forth in theabove descriptionwear and tear upon a trolley-wheel is occasioned by thefriction of the wires or hangers against the flanges of the wheel, andif the trolley-wheel can be made to shift its position to accommodateitself to the wire, so that the wire will run in its proper placecentrally between the flanges, much of the wear will be done away with.

For the pu rpose of holding the trolley-Wheel straight or in a straightline with the pole normally I provide the two flat springs L, arrangedupon each side of the trolley-wheel, and secure each to the inside ofone of the prongs of the fork, the free ends of said springs bearingagainst each side of the trolley-wheel, and thus hold it normally inposition. These springs I utilize as conductors for conducting thecurrent from the wheel to the wires carrying the current to the car.Thus as the trolley-wheel shifts its position the springs will followthe same and always maintain a good contact therewith.

The purpose of journaling the plates D within the ends of the prongs ofthe fork is to allow said plates to always lie parallel with the wire,no matter at what angle the trolleywheel is standing, and by lyingparallel with the wire will always allow the trolley-wheel to twist in ahorizontal plane.

A further advantage of my invention other is that all the parts areeasily and quickly assembled, so that any new parts may be easilyinserted to take the place of any old or worn-out parts, or all theparts may be changed in a very short period of time.

Of course I do not wish to be limited to the exact construction hereshown, as slight modifications could be made without departing from thespirit of rnyinvention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and usefulis l. In a trolley-fork,circular ends being provided upon the members orprongs of ihe fork, said ends being provided with circular openings,plates fitted within the openings so as to have a certain amount ofrotary movement in the same, each of said plates being curved outward ona radius struck at a point midway between the prongs of the fork, saidplates being provided with slots or guideways, bearing-blocks fittedwithin said slots or guideways, a trolley-wheel,an axle secured to saidtrolley-wheel, the ends of said axle being journaled within thebearing-blocks, springs so arranged as to normally center the wheel andalso act as a conductor for the electric current, and caps secured tothe outside of the ends of the two members of the fork, substantially asdescribed and for the purpose specified.

2. In a device of the character described, a trolley-fork composed oftwo prongs or members, each prong or member being provided with acircular opening in their ends, a guideplate D held within said circularopening but adapted to revolve to a certain extent within the same,said'plates being each curved ontward upon the radius of a circle struckfrom a point midway between the forked members, said plates beingprovided with slots or guideways, bearing-blocks held within said slotsor guideways, a trolley-wheel, an axle secured to said trolley-wheel,the ends of said axle being journaled within the bearing-blocks, twofiat springs, one arranged upon each side of the trolley-wheel, saidsprings being secured to the fork and their free ends bearing againstthe sides of the trolley-wheel to hold the same in alinement,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. In a device ofthe character described, a l

tact with the concaved surface of the guideplates, a trolley-wheel, anaxle secured rigidly to said trolley-Wheel, shouldered ends formed uponthe axle, said ends protruding through openings formed through thebearing-blocks, caps F secured upon the outside of the forked members soas to overlap the ends of the guide-plates and hold themin positionagainst lateral motion, springs so arranged as to normally hold thetrolley-wheel in alinement, and also to act as a conductor for conveyingthe electric current, substantially as described and for the purposespecified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

ERNEST L. GENTIS.

Witnesses:

W. D. FRANKLIN, W. B. KENT.

IIO

